Okay thanks for the info I'm guessing the 51 version had slightly less engine power coupled with a smaller engine too

I wonder how accurate all information is on such cars anyway - I remember hearing that when simulation companies actually test tyres and vehicles themselves they come up with vastly different data than those given to them by manufacturers.

Still, with old cars, it's not like you can test out the original rubber to get data! Well you can... but i imagine the results won't be representative because the rubber will have degraded?

Hmm i wonder, is it still possible to get companies to manufacture "authentic" tyres to the same specs and compounds / methods used back in those times? Then those could be tested.

Okay thanks for the info I'm guessing the 51 version had slightly less engine power coupled with a smaller engine too

I wonder how accurate all information is on such cars anyway - I remember hearing that when simulation companies actually test tyres and vehicles themselves they come up with vastly different data than those given to them by manufacturers.

Still, with old cars, it's not like you can test out the original rubber to get data! Well you can... but i imagine the results won't be representative because the rubber will have degraded?

Hmm i wonder, is it still possible to get companies to manufacture "authentic" tyres to the same specs and compounds / methods used back in those times? Then those could be tested.

I can say that for engines I mostly rely on a book written in 1968 (it's a rare copy) that used authenthic data taken directly from manufacturers.
For tyres, as I said in Assetto Corsa's forum, I could only give them some data I have but it's nothing solid like the info I had for the engine. I suggested to them that best thing to do was contact directly Pirelli (or Englebert if there is a way to talk to them or retrieve their catalogues) and ask them the coefficient of friction to have the most important (and only I may say) value to realistically simulate the original behaviour of the tyres. For what it concerns degrade, that should be simulated by the game itself basically in base on the coefficient value (and also other values like the nature of the asphalt, temperature, humidity, weight, driving style, all things which should be calculated, again, by the game from a given starting value). All this if the sim engine is valid, otherwise results won't be realistic (as much as possible they could be with modern technology, which still has it's limits).

Leon, what i meant by degrade was not degradation over a race but degradation of "period" tyres that are still fitted to old historical vehicles - a car with unused tyres made 60 years ago will feel very different from the same car, 60 years ago with the same brand of unused tyres.
Rubber goes bad over time, or so i hear :$

So what i meant is that although you can test historical vehicles "now" for performance, such testing may still not give you accurate results. I guess engines can lose power too, but probably less so than the degradation of the tyre rubber?

well, for tyres, of course! It would be insane to drive even at low speed with 60 years old tyres, even if never used. You'll most probably kill or injure yourself. You would need new "old" tyres, so tyres made now based on old projects and blueprints. For engine it would not even start if it stay shut for long time. Pistons get soldered to cylinder and you'll need caustic soda at really high temperatures to free them This, of course, if the engine has not been used at all. If it has been used, and proper maintenance has been done to it over time, there should not really be any lose of power

Also worth mentioning that buying Assetto Corsa Early Access entitles you to a discount on the first DLC Dream pack which includes a laserscanned Nordschleife and 10 additional cars from Audi, Alfa, Nissan GTR, Corvette and more.

Blasting round Longford in a Lotus 49 or round pretty much anywhere in the Lotus 78T or Ferrari F40 is probably worth the 17.49 Euros. But you will need an up-to-date powerful machine to get the best out of it.

While graphically not quite up there with Pcars, I still quite like it. And at this time, it's what I waste the occasional 15 mins it takes to do 2 laps of the Nordschleife in either an M3 GT2 (E92) or an MP4-12C GT3. It's actually mighty good fun, I get quite good fps (say about twice of another title). For a time I was stuck in the '49, then I had a long go at the 599, 458 and F40. Man, did I have a ball in the F40 around some tracks (old Monza), Mugello and some other track I forgot. The 98T is fun, but too fast for my controller. If you master it around the Ring, you'll be good to go anywhere in any (slower) car

For anyone interessted, I would recommend getting a few add-on mod tracks:
The aforementioned Longford is nice enough (is there even a GPL version? I don't think so), Fuji Speedway (a blast from the past, can't remember which introduced me to this one), Road America, Mid Ohio (for those who fancy some CanAm trackage), Le Mans (for obvious reasons, not the 1971 version though), Brands Hatch and of course... the Nurburgring (Snoopy v1.1, must have really).
As for cars... there are not that many add-ons yet, but if you want to make the ground shake, get the Corvette C6R (I had someone come by asking where the big truck was - it was just the Vette idling in the pits, phsysics need a touch up though). The Cobra is fun and looks great, but slowish and I haven't tried the Civic yet, so can't comment.

It is a shame that Dave Noonans 3DSimEd only converts from GPL to other titles. These newer titles owe a great deal to GPL track makers when it comes to older tracks, and I for one am very grateful. If the tools were available to convert to GPL I'm sure it would be a two way street, but sadly they are not.

Well it would be nice, yes, but then again, you would probably have to remove a lot of detail from these new tracks to make them work in GPL. I suppose it would be possible to make any track into a GPL track, but with lots of work. Like using the original track to get the altitude data and then base the GPL track on it, ...

That aside, the mods are slowly trickling in, now there's an Opel (Vauxhaul for you Britlanders) Adam cup - not that I fancy shopping trolly racing, but at least you have the option to do so. I believe there's also a current gen Camaro and several Honda Civics. I would just wish for more cars of the same class to show up so you could have nice little series races.

So, AC is like iRacing? In that you have to continue to buy tracks and cars?

Mm not really. You have unlimited online but from time to time they will release new DLCs containing new cars and tracks. It is up to you to choose if buy them or not. Once you buy AC, you can play how long you want without fees or subscriptions. I would say that the formula is pretty much the same of Forza Motorsport 5, not IRacing.